The Fall is one of the stations of the richest year in fruits or vegetables , and the shelves of supermarkets and greengrocers are filled with products such as sweet potatoes, collards, cabbage, broccoli, beets or squash.
The latter, with its unique color and great flavor, is one of the stars of the season. The pumpkin, in addition to being one of the most popular decorative elements during the Halloween holiday , is a food that provides a multitude of beneficial nutrients for the body.
A food with antioxidant and digestive properties
In this way, it has important nutrients such as proteins and substances such as vitamin C and carotenoids , essential for the good state of the body. Ideal for preparing delicious recipes, this fruit contains a low contribution of calories (15 kcal per 100 grams consumed) and fat (0.2 g), since it is composed mostly of water (about 96 g), such as and as highlighted in the Spanish Nutrition Foundation (FEN) .
On the other hand, it is rich in vitamins, fiber and contains powerful antioxidant properties that prevent cells from aging. The most prominent carotenoids with provitamin A activity are lutein, b-cryptoxanthin, beta-carotene and zeazantin.
As it has a low amount of carbohydrates and fats, and is composed mainly of water, it contains cleansing, diuretic and digestive properties, as highlighted by the nutritionist of the Ruber Juan Bravo Hospital Complex and the Quirónsalud Madrid University Hospital, Elena Pérez Montero, in the Quirónsalud channel.
Pumpkin, rich in vitamin C
Likewise, the nutrition expert points out that the high amount of vitamin C present in pumpkin “acts on the synthesis of collagen, in a good formation of bones and teeth and in the production of red blood cells”.
The high contribution of carotenoids with provitamin A activity, such as beta-carotene, contributes to the care of the skin, eyes, the immune system and our mucous membranes .
